Venezuela referendum - corrupt elite lose again

ACROSS VENEZUELA hundreds of thousands have celebrated the defeat of
the attempt to 'recall' the radical President Hugo Chávez.

The overwhelming referendum result is a huge blow against US President
Bush's policies and the Venezuelan ruling class.

The opposition had hoped that they would be able to mobilise sections
disappointed by Chávez and thereby secure a
victory. ROBERT BECHERT reports.

This is the third time that an attempt to overthrow Chávez
has failed. The April 2002 US-backed military coup disintegrated in the
face of a mass movement from below, as millions of Venezuelans protested
on the streets.

A strike by senior staff at the PDVSA nationalised oil company and
widespread bosses' lock-out in other sectors took place from December 2002
to February 2003. This petered out in the face of support for Chávez's
popular reforms and the determination of the poor masses to defeat the
bosses' strike.

This latest referendum is the eighth time since 1998 that Chávez
has won at the ballot boxes. He has been elected President twice and his
policies have now been supported in six referendums.

The right-wing opposition seized upon the recall mechanism that Chávez
himself had introduced into the constitution, something that does not
currently exist in any other country in the world. The opposition used all
types of fraud, including signing up the dead, to bolster their claim that
they had collected the necessary number of signatures to trigger the
holding of the recall referendum.

Clearly Chávez's victory has been based
upon a widespread mobilisation of the impoverished working class and poor.
The number of voters rose from 12.4 to 14 million as the poor registered
and many long-term immigrants were given identity cards.

The preliminary results gave Chávezz 58.25%
(4,991,483 votes) and the opposition 41.74% (3,576,517 votes). This pro-Chávez
vote was a huge increase on the 3,757,773 votes Chávez
won when he was elected President for the second time in July 2000.

Opposition

But it is clear that the opposition leaders, a privileged clique
struggling to defend their power and wealth, will not simply go away.
Their propaganda campaign has not stopped and sometimes they can be quite
creative.

As the voting was underway the National Electoral Council (CNE)
announced the existence of a pre-recorded fake press conference that had
the voice of the CNE President proclaiming Chávez's
defeat. Also, during the voting the opposition published 'exit-polls'
claiming to show they were winning and then, when the votes were
announced, they used their own exit polls as evidence of rigging.

The opposition may step up this campaign over the next few days,
attempting to justify new attacks on Chávez.
Sections of the international media have already joined in this campaign.
The Independent in London even published an article, while the voting was
still taking place, that gave 'figures' claiming to show that Chávez
was losing. These were quoted from the previously unheard of "mid-morning
results", whatever they were.

Socialist programme

HOW WILL the Venezuelan ruling class and imperialism react to this
result? The more impatient could move towards more extreme measures,
including terrorism and assassination, to attack the Chávez
government. Other sections may adopt a more long-term view working either
to tame Chávez or to undermine both his regime
and support over a longer period.

Despite having implemented reforms that have, for now, improved
conditions for the poor, Chávez works within
the capitalist system. Currently this means Venezuela suffers from high
inflation of around 22%, something that has been worsened by the two
currency devaluations Chávez has carried out.

So long as capitalism remains there is the prospect that a fall in the
current high price of oil in the future could rapidly decrease the room
for reforms and Chávez's freedom of movement.
This is why the positive reforms already implemented and the hopes for a
secure better future are tied to the question of whether capitalism
continues in Venezuela.

Having won this important victory it is necessary for the Venezuelan
working class and poor to move onto the attack. The momentum of the
referendum campaign has to be used to prepare a lasting victory over the
ruling class and their imperialist allies.

This means strengthening the working class and popular organisations,
like the Bolivarian Committees, and ensuring that they are fully
democratic.

At the same time, the question of the workers' movement adopting a
socialist programme that breaks with capitalism and establishes a workers'
and peasants' Venezuela will become increasingly urgent as the ruling
class and imperialism resumes its attempt, using direct or indirect
methods, to re-establish firm control over Venezuela.

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Interview

Revolution in the revolution

YASMIN IS an active member of a marxist organisation in Venezuela which has support in universities, workplaces and communities. She spoke to the socialist about the referendum vote and its aftermath.

What do you think about the referendum result?

This was an important victory. But before the referendum we explained that the opposition, who were losing support, would try and sabotage the election process and declare it a fraud.

Because of the instability in the energy markets worldwide the western imperialist countries, including the United States, wanted a 'surgical' process so that the price of oil would not go any higher. So the result was declared quickly and endorsed by the Carter Centre and the Organisation of American States.

The opposition have been exposed as liars which will have undermined their credibility with some sections of the middle-class.

What did your organisation do during the referendum campaign?

Chávez called for the building of 'electoral patrols' in every voting area to help build for a 'no' vote. We were involved in these. But we called for the election of a 'popular' leadership at local, state and national level, rather than a handpicked leadership from above. We also called for the building of a revolutionary leadership.

What do you think should happen now?

Now we need ideological clarity. Imperialism is still preparing to claw back the gains of the revolution and people must be prepared to confront that. That means political clarity and the building of a revolutionary leadership without bureaucrats or reformists. We call for the building of a socialist state as the only way to stand up to imperialism and move forward.

The Chavista leaders, however, think this is possible within the capitalist system. But it's clear that we will encounter more obstacles and the choice will be between going forward to socialism or retreating to conciliation or negotiation with imperialism. Our position is summed up by our slogan "revolution in the revolution".